The Course of the Stars
by Freya the Snake Slayer
Summary: Will an ancient device of unspeakable power finally unite Jack and Sam - or will it tear them apart forever like Nut and Geb centuries before..? Parallel stories of forbidden love spanning years, and light years.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey campers! This story is my pet project. I started it four years ago, but abandoned it shortly after. I took it off the metaphorical shelf a few months ago and now I'm determined to finish it! My inspiration is rooted in archeological, mythological and scientific fact - but I've applied a dramatic license (obviously!) I'm a very visual person, so be prepared for lots of wordy (but hopefully not superfluous) descriptions. There's also a lot of dialogue. As always, reviews are very much appreciated - they're the life force that keeps my brain engaged and my fingers typing! Freya x**

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, but I promise to put them back where I found them. All rights belong to the owners. I've edited my own work, so all mistakes are mine.

* * *

He took in a lung full of musty air and used the sleeve of his uniform to wipe the moisture from his upper lip. He reached for the metal thermos protruding from the mouth of his backpack, and took a deep gulp of the cold liquid. He let a few of the precious drops trickle down the side of his mouth as he took in his alien surroundings. It was all so surreal. The years of intense studying, training and sacrifice had paid off. He was here - on his first off-world mission with the prestigious SG-1. He'd found himself a protege of Daniel Jackson after he'd boldly alerted the esteemed archaeologist to a piece of mistranslated ancient text. Dr Jackson had been impressed by his knowledge and gumption and had taken him under his wing. He puffed in disbelief as he recalled the catalytic event, and turned his focus back to his work. He glanced over his right shoulder and looked at the row of freshly dug holes. With each cavity he grew 100 feet closer to finishing his thorough, yet tedious examination of the room.

He heard the crunch of sand against military boots and cast his eyes to the newcomer.

"Hey, we're stopping for lunch." His colleague stated. "Are you coming?"

His stomach had been barking for a square meal, but his determination to finish the last few feet overrode his hunger.

"Nah, you go ahead."

His colleague pursed his lips and shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Your choice, man. Just don't work too hard. Jackson's going to get all the credit, you know."

He chuckled and shook his head as the other man left the room. He took another sip of water, before thrusting the near empty bottle into his bag. As his hand passed through the fabric opening, his skin grazed the outline of a familiar object. He craned his neck to check if he was alone. He could hear his fellow Stargate personnel laughing in the distance. He carefully wrapped his fingers around the item and extracted it from his pack. He placed it on the ground in front of him, then retrieved a second article. He released the heart of the article from its plastic cover - written in bold lettering it read 'Archeology Rocks.' He popped open the lid of the first item and placed the article inside. He carefully grasped the connected buds and inserted them into his ears. His index finger instinctively found the play button on his discman and the sounds of his favourite Pat Benetar song reverberated through his head. He hummed along to 'We Belong' as he continued his assault on the soil.

The first few layers flaked away easily, but he soon encountered some resistance. He stretched his fingers out to the tools of trade splayed across the ground next to him. He considered his options, before grasping his Marshalltown trowel. He changed his position to get more power behind his blow and brought the shovel down. The blade entered the compacted soil with force as the song reached its crescendo. The music blaring through his ears masked the cacophony of metal slicing through ceramic. He retrieved the shovel from the ground. He surveyed the puncture in the terrain and a slight disturbance in the grains caught his eyes. Narrowing his gaze, he leaned forward. The fragments began to part, faster and faster as if something or someone was slithering its way to the surface.

"What the…?" He muttered.

His hand dropped to the ZAT gun in his leg holster.

Omitting a high pitched squeal, the burrowing beast breached the earth's surface and launched itself towards him. It pierced his flesh and threw him onto his back. He writhed in pain as the creature attempted to meld with his person. After a few seconds of fruitless fighting, his body stiffened in defeat. As if by impulse, he shot up into a sitting position. A yellow light flashed behind his pupils. He picked up the trowel and commenced digging until he uncovered the broken canopic jar. He unholstered his ZAT gun and fired three times until the vase disappeared.

"Your death will be avenged, my love," he boomed.

* * *

The twin suns of PSX-256 hung in the mid-afternoon sky like two orange fireballs. The golden rays bounced off the crumbled ruins of the once majestic temple and stained the fine desert sand with deep, elongated shadows.

Colonel Jack O'Neill leaned lazily against a semi-collapsed wall on the outskirts of the ruins, willing for a cool breeze and a frosty Guinness. Beads of sweat were forming under the bill of his military issue cap and he repositioned it slightly to absorb the moisture.

"So, T...did you catch the game last night?" He lifted his gaze to Teal'c.

The proud Jaffa was standing rigidly by his side, his left hand positioned behind his back and his right hand clenched firmly around his staff weapon. A smile danced at the corner of the warrior's lips and he raised a thin eyebrow in response.

Jack knew the answer, but small talk seemed to be his only means of distraction from the unrelenting heat and his growing boredom. SG-1 and SG-3 had accompanied a small team of archaeologists and scientists to investigate the planet's ancient ruins and mineral deposits. A glorified babysitter was what he felt like, but he knew it was a necessary part of the job. So far, they hadn't unearthed anything significant – but Daniel remained optimistic, much to Jack's disappointment.

"Dr Jackson! Dr Jackson!"

Jack snapped to attention and his hands fell automatically to his weapon. He heard the familiar whirl of Teal'c's staff as they both turned to face the commotion.

"Dr Jackson! Dr Jackson!"

Senior Airman Lang burst forth from the labyrinth of stone pillars like a bat out of hell. Jack felt the dry air shift beneath his feet as the Airman sprinted by, still grasping his archaeologist's soft brush and a tiny chisel. He bolted through the flap of the canvas tent where Daniel was examining artifacts. Seconds later they both emerged and made a beeline for the dilapidated building.

Sensing there was no immediate danger, Jack instinctively relaxed.

"What do you 'spose Lang is on about? I think he left an impression in dust."

"I do not understand, O'Neill," Teal'c stated dryly.

Jack turned slowly to face Teal'c and furrowed his brow.

"You know, like the Roadrunner..?"

Teal'c glared at him blankly.

Jack blew out a puff of air and shook his head.

"Have I taught you nothing?" He exclaimed.

"Ah, Jack..? You might want to check this out," crackled Daniel from the radio in Jack's vest pocket.

Jack brought the radio to his mouth.

"...okay…" he reluctantly replied, "where are you?"

"Ah, we're deep in the temple ruins. I'll meet you out front. I think Airman Lang's found something," Daniel answered.

"Yeah, be there in a minute."

Jack licked his dry lips.

"Two to one odds its some worthless doovalacky."

"Indeed."

* * *

Jack was thankful his boots were ankle high as he and Teal'c scuffed their way through the alien dust towards the temple.

The colonnaded structure protruded from the rolling dunes like a sandstone behemoth breaking through the granulated surface and gently kissing the sky. Flanked on either side of the great pylon entrance was the statue of an Egyptian woman crowned with a vase. As they neared, the grandeur of the structure froze Jack in his steps. He took a moment to take it in.

"Wow," he whispered, hardly recognising his own voice. He wondered whether Daniel's sense of bewilderment was contagious.

Teal'c took a few more strides before turning around.

"Are you well, O'Neill?"

Jack's head jerked downwards to meet his friend's curious stare.

"Yeah," Jack exclaimed, "This place is huge!"

"Indeed."

"I assume you found it okay?" Daniel asked, materialising in the entryway.

"Ho hum," Jack muttered, "What have we got, Daniel?"

Jack and Teal'c followed Daniel into a large room that branched off into a warren of chambers, passages and staircases. The room was bordered by tall pillars and supported a ceiling adorned with painted stars.

"From what we can gather, this temple was built for Nut."

"Peanut or cashew?" Jack queried.

"Not nuts, Jack - Nut, the Egyptian goddess of the sky."

"My bad."

"Nut is thought to be one of the oldest Egyptian deities. She was the wife of Ra, and the sister and mistress of Geb, the god of Earth."

"That's cracko!" Jack commented.

Teal'c and Daniel scowled at him with unimpressed expressions.

"Get it? Nuts? Cracked? Wacko? Ah, forget you." He motioned the joke away with a flick of his wrist. "You guys have no sense of humour. Carter would have found that hilarious."

"Moving on..." Daniel urged.

He stopped them in the middle of the room to admire a granite statue.

"She's normally depicted in human form - as you can see here, usually with a jug of water on her head. She's also been associated with the image of a cow."

"As the story goes, she was cast out of Earth as punishment for dishonouring Ra," Daniel continued.

"I am familiar with this fable, Daniel Jackson. According to Jaffa legend, Ra was a strong ruler but feared being overthrown."

"Funny that," Jack murmured.

"When he discovered Nut was to have Geb's children, Ra became angry and decreed that she would not give birth any day of the year."

"The Earth tale is very similar," Daniel continued, "Nut approached Thoth, the god of wisdom, to assist her. Thoth devised a plan to gamble moonlight from Khonsu, the god of the moon and Ra's sworn enemy. Every time Khonsu lost, he gave more moonlight to Thoth. In the end, Thoth had acquired enough moonlight to manufacture 5 extra days. Back then, a calendar year was only 360 days long. Because these 5 days were in addition to the regular cycle, Nut was able to have her children. On each extra day, she gave birth. Ra was furious and separated Nut and Geb for all eternity."

Daniel lead Jack and Teal'c down one of the many burrows that coiled off the main foyer.

"The rest of Nut's story is unclear, which makes Lang's find even more exciting. It might help us piece together her fate after being exiled from Earth. Presumably, she ended up on this planet."

"You're assuming she was a snakehead?" Jack stated.

"I think it's hard to tell where the true myth of Nut ends and the story of the Goa'uld impersonating her begins. The very existence of this temple suggests the Goa'uld resided here at some point. There are no known Nut temples back on Earth."

"No known Nut's," Jack mused, "Try saying that 10 times quickly."

Daniel notacibly flinched, but continued, "We're presuming these chambers were Nut's quarters. We've already uncovered a few of her personal effects - nothing extraordinary - just a hair brush and a mirror. There's also some hieroglyphics I'm keen to translate."

"As much as I love hearing you wax lyrical about my favourite subspecies, why am I here?" Jack queried.

"Airman Lang found a box."

"Unless it somehow folds out into a big honking space gun, I don't see why I'd be interested."

"Well, it kinda looks out of place."

"...like me amongst these ancient ruins with a bunch of eggheads?"

Daniel ignored Jack's biting remark. "It doesn't look Egyptian, or G'oauld for that matter. It looks more...sciencey."

Jack raised his eyebrows with mild interest.

As they entered the chamber they were confronted by a graphic mural on the opposing wall. The painting depicted a naked woman arched on her toes and fingertips over four smaller human figures. Her body was blue like the sky and covered in constellations.

"Woah!" Jack stumbled backwards. "That's a bit more Nut then I needed to see!"

Daniel moved towards the wall and placed his right hand over the picture. "This is a very common illustration of Nut. This figure in the middle is Shu, the god of air, and also Nut's father. The figure reclining across the bottom is Geb. According to the Egyptians, the sun and moon would cross Nut's body during the day."

He made a sweeping gesture with his hand. "At dusk, she would swallow them to make way for the night and at dawn, she would give birth to them again."

The soft skin below Jack's left eye began to twitch in frustration. "So, what you're saying is this 'Nut' hooked-up with her brother and had some sort of digestive complaint that caused her to poop daylight?"

Daniel's hand dropped from the brickwork and he sighed in defeat. "Yeah, basically."

"Good. At least we've straightened that out." He averted his gaze from Daniel's.

"Lang, report!"

In the corner of the room, Airman Lang was crouched over a carefully excavated ditch. The Earth had been meticulously peeled back to reveal a square outline.

He raised his head to address Jack, "Sir, I picked up an anomaly when I…"

"Ah!" Jack raised a finger to silence the Airman, sensing a long-winded explanation. "Keep it short, Airman."

Daniel cleared his throat and threw his commanding officer a threatening look over the rim of his glasses.

"From what we can see," Daniel interrupted, " it appears to be made of wood - possibly cypress."

"...and..?" Jack prompted, raising his eyebrows and making impatient circles with his right hand.

Daniel huffed. "Well...that's all we know at this stage."

Despite his familiarity with Jack's demeanor, Daniel still found his impatience surprising at times. Daniel crouched down beside Airman Lang and returned his attention to the artifact.

"You're killing me, Daniel. You know how much I hate suspense."

Daniel reached for the edges of the box with gentle fingers. "Shut up, Jack. This is a delicate process."

The tension was palpable as Daniel slowly lifted the box from its sandy grave. Airman Lang inhaled sharply and Teal'c took a tentative step forward.

Jack breathed, rolling his eyes at the others. "Oh, brother."

Daniel lightly grazed his thumbs over the box's etched exterior. His jaw dropped slightly as he examined the cover. Scored into the centre of the timber top was a solid black dot surrounded by coloured concentric circles.

"This is truly amazing. I can't even begin to comprehend what it means!" Daniel blurted with barely controlled glee.

He brought the box to eye level and tilted it slightly. "Hm," he grunted inquisitively.

"Daniel..?" Jack questioned, a speck of annoyance in his voice.

"It feels uneven."

Jack shifted his stance and narrowed his eyes. "Uneven, Daniel?"

"Yes, Jack. Uneven, as in 'unbalanced,' 'irregular,' 'not level...'"

"Okay, okay!" Jack interjected, "Why do you think it's…" he let his eyes wander as he searched for the right word, "...disproportionate…?"

Teal'c, Daniel and Airman Lang gaped at Jack in mutual astonishment.

"Disproportionate, Jack?" Daniel queried.

"What?!" Jack voiced defensively, "I read...the dictionary."

"Ah huh...right," Daniel mused sarcastically.

"Anyway...back to 'Pandora's box'..?" Jack accentuated with air quotes.

"Right. Well, my guess is there's something inside."

"Naturally," Jack stated insipidly, "Do you think it's dangerous?"

"We can open it and find out?" Daniel suggested.

Jack shook his head and sighed. "I'm trying to make a risk assessment here, Daniel. For all we know, it could be another head sucky thing."

"I don't think so, Jack." Daniel wrinkled his face to move his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose. "Firstly, it's a tiny box. What harm ever came from opening a box?"

"Careful, Daniel." Jack raised his right forefinger and smirked. "You don't want to jinx us."

"Really, Jack? Since when have you been superstitious?"

"Daniel," Jack warned, "why don't you just pass that over here?"

Jack reached for the box and grabbed it roughly out of the archaeologist's hands.

"Gentle!" Daniel hissed, pushing his cupped hands below Jack's.

Jack cast a cautious eye over the object. His taut expression solidified as he took in the engraved cover.

"Teal'c, have you seen anything like this before?"

Teal'c edged stiffly towards Jack. "Indeed I have not," he frowned, "The subject matter is most unusual, O'Neill."

"So...can we open it?" Daniel interposed excitedly.

Jack rotated his head to look at the younger man standing by his elbow. "This isn't Christmas, Daniel," Jack snarled.

Daniel raised his hands apologetically and took a step backwards.

"I'm going to take this over to Carter. I want this properly stored and transported back to the SGC. We're going to follow procedure on this one, boys." He flashed them a devilish smile.

"...but, Sir..!" Airman Lang protested.

"No arguments, Airman. If you want to make it in this business, you have to follow orders."

Daniel's eyes widened in disbelief and he expelled an animated snort.

Ignoring Daniel, Jack turned to face Teal'c.

"T, make sure Indiana Jones makes it back to the Stargate." He waved vaguely in the direction of Daniel. "Airman Lang, I'm assuming you can take it from here?"

Airman Lang proudly puffed out his chest. "Yes, Sir!"

"I'll let Colonel Davies know we're heading back. SG3 can stay put for now. I'll grab Carter and meet you at the gate in 10," continued Jack.

Teal'c bowed his head in acknowledgement.

Jack turned on his heels in search of his second in command.

* * *

When Jack reached the scientist's tent, Sam was alone. He stood in the doorway and watched her with unguarded admiration. She sat hunched over a collapsible workbench with one leg tucked under her body and the other hovering inches above the ground, swaying rhythmically backwards and forwards. She was staring intently down her microscope. Jack felt a surge of jealousy for the microorganism that had her so hypnotised, and wished she'd look at him with the same level of intensity. He took a step forward and caught a whiff of her shampoo as the nearby rotating fan ruffled her tousled blonde locks. He closed his eyes and let the scent wash over him in a purely self-indulgent moment. He cleared his throat to alert the Major to his presence and bring himself out of his dream-like state. She spun in her chair to face him, her hand clasped dramatically over her heart.

She gasped. "Sir! You scared me!"

"Apologies, Carter. I didn't mean to interrupt...whatever you were doing."

She sighed deeply to recompose herself.

"Actually, Sir I was just analysing some mineral deposits…" She paused as Jack flinched. "It doesn't matter. What have you got there?" She pointed to the box held firmly in his grasp.

Jack held her warm gaze for a few more seconds before breaking it. "Right! Yes, it's some kind of box thing. Daniel thinks there's something inside. I thought we could wrap it up and take it back to the SGC. You could run some simulations, or something!" He beamed at her with all the fake enthusiasm for science he could muster.

A broad smile spread across her glossy lips and she nodded in agreement. "Sounds good, Sir. When do we leave?"

"We meet the boys at the gate in 10. The rest of the crew, including Airman Lang will stay behind. I think we have a potential space monkey junior on our hands!"

Stifling a laugh, Sam raised her eyebrows. "Really, Sir?"

Jack rose up on his toes. "Oh. Yeah." He exclaimed, accentuating each word.

She flashed him a toothy grin. "I can pack up my stuff and meet you there in 5, Sir?"

"You sure know the way to an old soldier's heart, Carter - punctuality! Oh, and can you put this somewhere safe?" He closed the distance between them and placed the box on the counter in front of her.

"Of course, Sir." She obliged, reaching for a lined suitcase.

"Thanks, Carter. You're the best." He placed a warm, calloused hand on her exposed forearm. Her heart pounded in her neck with his gentle, yet electrifying touch. Sam watched as he left the tent, relishing the way his BDUs hugged his muscular behind as he walked.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack waltzed boldly into the base laboratory wearing a clean pair of oversized BDU's. SG-1 had returned to Stargate command several hours earlier. While the others had headed directly to their labs, Jack had felt an almost magnetic pull towards the showers.

"Hello campers!" He proclaimed, "Any idea what we're dealing with yet?"

"Well Sir, we've just completed a preliminary analysis." Sam was standing beside a perspex case where the box was resting inside.

"Continue, Major," Jack urged.

"I've conducted a computer enhanced MRI and Daniel was right - there is something inside. It appears to be some sort of solid metal ball...four balls to be exact." She walked over to a nearby computer screen and brought up a series of high resolution images.

Jack peered over her shoulder. "Ah huh. Anything else?"

"Yes, Sir. They're omitting a minor EM field. It's nothing significant, but it is unusual. Metal and wood normally wouldn't generate that kind of pulse. We'll need to extract the balls for analysis before drawing any conclusions."

Jack dipped his head in understanding. Pivoting on the balls of his feet, he twisted to face Daniel and Teal'c. Daniel lifted his eyes from the digital images splayed across the sterile metal bench.

"Jack," Daniel greeted plainly.

"Teal'c. Daniel," he replied, returning the sentiment, "What have you got?"

"For starters, I carbon dated the box." He paused for effect. "Jack, it's millions of years old."

"You say that like you're surprised..?"

"Well, I've been studying the image engraved on the lid. It's like nothing we've ever seen before, historically speaking. Actually, Sam helped a great deal."

Jack lifted his left eyebrow in awe. "Is that so, Major?"

Sam felt her cheeks fill with colour. "Actually Sir, it was more within my field of expertise. The image on the box depicts what we know as a slingshot maneuver. You and Teal'c attempted one around Jupiter to correct the X-301 Interceptor."

"Ah...the memories," he mused, exchanging a brief look with Teal'c. "Why is that so strange?"

"Well Sir, as far as we know the slingshot maneuver only dates back to the early 20th century. The carving pre-dates this by millions of years."

"Any theories?"

"Not exactly, Sir - but we're just about to open the box. Care to stick around?" She flashed him an expectant smile.

Jack glanced down at his digital watch. He tapped the screen with his index finger and brought it to his ear.

"Looks like The Simpsons doesn't start for a few hours...I guess I can stick around…" he stated nonchalantly, shaking out his right wrist.

The corners of her mouth wrenched into a small smile and she shook her head. Sam had long ago theorised that Jack's juvenile antics were a way to distance himself from the realities of his job. It allowed him to compartmentalise the two facets of his personality - Jack the Soldier and Jack the Man. She also suspected he did it for her amusement.

She gracefully spun off her chair and took her position behind the perspex box. Daniel leaped to his feet in anticipation and Sam motion him forward. Jack shuffled alongside Sam and casually rested against an opposing desk. Daniel drew in a deep breath and reached for the translucent container. He removed the wooden object with his nimble fingers and placed it carefully on the metal workstation. He lowered himself to the object's level and grasped the box from each side. Using his right hand, he carefully pried the lid open.

Jack felt a tingle building inside him and jumped to his feet. He instinctively raised a protective arm across Sam's torso and she took a step back to stand behind his shoulder. Even though she knew the contents of the box posed little risk, she felt sheltered in his shadow.

With an unsettling screech, the cover of the box came free. Daniel froze and his eyes widened like unblinking saucers as his mind attempted to process the contents. Jack and Sam strained their necks in an attempt to improve their view.

Teal'c slanted forward, a deep frown etched on his face. "Do you know what it is, Daniel Jackson?"

Daniel's gaze flicked to the Jaffa, then to Jack and Sam. "I think I've seen these before."


	3. Chapter 3

A special thanks to all the lovely people who've read, reviewed and subscribed to this story so far - you've made this shipper very happy! This chapter should explain all of the science. I've tried to keep it real, but if the details stray a bit please chalk them up to my creative license! I hope I've found that sweet spot between an elaborate plot and a confusing one! Here goes...Freya x

* * *

Jack shrugged on his oversized leather jacket as he prepared to head home for the night. There was a six pack of Guinness waiting for him at home, and he could almost feel the cold amber liquid sliding down his throat and peppering his oesophagus with tiny bitter bubbles.

After Daniel's revelation, he'd hastedly exited the lab with a mixture of excitement and purpose. He'd obtusely left his team member's in suspense, which frustrated Jack to no end. It had been a few hours since then, and all had been quiet on the geek front.

Instead of turning right to board the elevator up to the surface, Jack drifted left towards Sam's lab. He knocked on the door jam before entering. She was sitting at her desk chewing the end of a blue ballpoint pen, deep in thought.

"Evening, Major."

She glanced at her watch in shock. "Is it evening already, Sir?"

"It certainly is," he proclaimed, "shouldn't you be heading home?"

"I'm almost done, Sir. I'm just putting the finishing touches on my presentation for tomorrow morning's brief. I've already given General Hammond my preliminary report."

"Ah. The things we do for science," he stated.

Sam nodded in agreement. "It should prove to be very interesting, actually. Daniel made a few discoveries of his own."

Jack moaned sarcastically. "Great...you know how much I love a good briefing. Now, no spoilers from you, Carter. You hear? I want to be surprised."

She gave him a weak smile. "Yes, Sir. I'll see you in the morning, then?"

"You couldn't stop me, Carter," he stated.

As he went to leave he noticed a blue ink smudge in the corner of his 2IC's mouth.

"Carter, you have a bit of something…" he pointed to the side of his mouth that corresponded with the stain.

"Oh. How embarrassing." She tried to wipe it away with her thumb, but spread it accidentally.

"Geez, Major! I can't take you anywhere." He produced a neatly folded pocket square from the lining of his jacket and tipped a nearby bottle of water onto the fabric. "Hold still," he instructed.

He cupped her chin in his left hand and brought the sodden material to the corner of her perfectly pink lips.

She forced her eyes to the floor as he lightly blotted the stain away from her pale skin. She could feel his breath, steady and humid against her cheek. Her skin prickled with goosebumps and she felt the hairs on her arm stand on end. The sensation made her feel cold and hot and she self-consciously crossed her arms.

"There. That should do it." He pulled the cloth away from her skin, but kept his hand under the apex of her lower jaw.

She swivelled her head to find their eyes at the same level. She gazed into his molten chocolate pools and he found himself swimming in the depth of her sapphire spheres. With his opposite hand, he tucked an errand hair behind her ear before letting his fingers trail to the back of her neck. The anticipation was electric as he gradually pulled her towards him. Despite their lips being a fingerbreadth apart, the journey felt excruciatingly long. As they inched closer together, micro centimeter by micro centimeter the dual fires of need and desire burned low in his belly. Sam tilted her head to receive him and found herself holding her breath. She couldn't bring herself to exhale for fear of frightening him away.

Sam hadn't worn anything more than a thin gloss on her lips, let alone a smoking hot, middle-aged Colonel…

"UNSCHEDULED OFFWORLD ACTIVATION!"

The sound of Sergeant Harriman and the accompanying klaxons echoed through the base speakers. Jack stilled and Sam closed her eyes to the intrusion.

"Carter…" he breathed, "This isn't a good idea…" His eyes shifted to the red blinking light of the security camera.

She ducked her head in agreement, but kept her eyes welded shut. The second she allowed the fluorescent lights to flood her corneas would be the second she'd have to admit the romantic interlude was over. Like so many other missed opportunities, this moment would be filed away and locked into that room. The room had become so filled with repressed feelings and fleeting moments that they needed to build an extension. Sam sensed, rather than witnessed Jack walk over to the phone.

"It's O'Neill." He paused, listening to the response on the other end of the receiver.

"Okay. Well let me know if you need me."

To Sam, truer words had never been spoken.

"Umm...one of the guys from SG-14 had an encounter with an alien mud puddle. Janet's going to check him out. They're just being cautious."

Sam opened her eyes a whit.

Jack looked noticeable uncomfortable. He threw a thumb to the door behind him, plotting his escape. "I'm going to…"

"...probably for the best," she whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow...sir."

And with that honorific, the cloud of sexual tension was released. Sam watched as it left the room, along with the Colonel - presumably to catalog itself with the other lost moments.

* * *

General Hammond's chair elicited a small squeak as he leaned back and glanced at the briefing room clock.

"Has anybody heard from Dr Jackson?" He looked at each of the remaining members of SG-1 in turn.

"No, Sir," Sam said, from her position next to the Texan commander.

A rosy blush of frustration began to creep over the General's marbled head.

"I'm sure he just got lost," added Jack, reaching across the table for a glazed donut. He traded a cursory look of concern with Sam. "Perhaps we should install a yellow brick road leading to the briefing room, Sir?"

The General appeared mildly amused, but his attention shifted to the stairs as Daniel appeared - laden with papers and books. On top of the unstable mound rested the wooden box.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he puffed.

He dumped the documents onto the conference table and deftly caught the wooden box as it began to tumble towards the hard enamel surface.

"The floor's all yours, Dr Jackson."

"...right." Daniel said, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He threw Sam a knowing glare and she remotely turned on the projector. With a mechanical whirl, the screen lit up with an image of the Nut hieroglyphics.

"...so...I've had the opportunity to translate most of the hieroglyphics from PSX-256 and I've made a few - well, rather startling discoveries."

Jack reclined his chair and rested his folded hands across his stomach. "I think we'll be the judge of that, Daniel."

Daniel's eyelids fluttered rapidly in response. He strode towards the projector screen. "Firstly, they offer a lot of insight into the myth of Nut. It's a pity the details will be classified. The glyphs in Nut's quarters chronicle her life in great detail. It reads like a cautionary tale, so it must have been written after she died. For a while, she seemed to be quite revered until her true identity was discovered."

"The snake was outed?" Jack queried.

"Yeah, in a manner of speaking. This text actually confirms beyond a shadow of a doubt that Nut - or should I say the Goa'uld impersonating the goddess - actually accompanied Ra to Earth when he visited around 10,500 BC. At the time she was Ra's trusted companion and mate. According to the author - or authors of the glyphs, the Goa'uld took on a human host and imposed herself on a group of Nut worshippers, claiming she was their goddess in the flesh. Among the Nut devotees were mathematicians, scholars and astrologists."

"It's hard to believe people that intelligent could be so gullible," interjected Jack.

"Well, we're talking about humans over 12,000 years ago…they had no reason to doubt her claims," supplied Sam.

"It seems as though Nut's supporters were in possession of something...rather unique," continued Daniel.

"Oh?" General Hammond said, urging Daniel to proceed with the widening of his eyes.

"Like Ra, Nut required her followers to make ritual sacrifices. Apparently, Nut had an insatiable appetite for jewellery and precious stones…"

Jack impatiently swivelled in his chair. "You know what they say, Sir...diamonds are a girl's best friend." His mouth pulled into a lopsided smirk. Jack chanced a look at Sam. Her pupils were glistening with mirth and he knew they'd moved passed the events of the night before.

"Jack, if you don't mind…" Daniel interrupted.

"Sorry, Danny."

"Anyway, it didn't take long for their resources to dwindle, at which stage Nut threatened human sacrifice. In an effort to save their people, the elders of the group decided to gift Nut their most precious commodity. They called it 'the mechanism for arranging the stars.' Apparently it was left behind by the ancestors."

"The Ancients, perhaps." Teal'c suggested.

"Yeah, that would be my assumption."

"So, what did it do?" Jack asked.

"Well, they didn't really know. The ancestors had left behind a manual of sorts, but Nut's supporters were still trying to study it. From what they gathered, it had something to do with tracking the movements of the stars, moon, sun and other planets."

"Did they present the manual to Nut, Daniel Jackson?" A glint of curiosity crept across Teal'c's otherwise stoic expression.

"Yes they did. Now, here's where it gets interesting."

"Do you think he's using that term loosely..?" Jack mumbled under his breath to Teal'c.

"I believe this manual is still in existence today - in some form or another. At least nine passengers have been found here on Earth. Historians refer to them collectively as 'The Fundamentals of the Course of the Stars,' but it's more commonly called 'The Book of Nut.' I think these fragments were actually extracts from another publication, a first edition of sorts. I believe this was the manual given to Nut."

"If this manual you speak of was written by the ancients, why do you suppose it is called 'The Book of Nut?'" questioned Teal'c.

"Well, some of the writings on Earth depicted the image of Nut. I believe these drawings were added to the text after Nut took ownership of the device - sort of like branding her possessions. Over time, the legacy of the Ancients has morphed into the myth of Nut."

Noticing the lone, unguarded pastry resting in the centre of the table, Jack extended a long arm in an attempt to capture it. His efforts were foiled by Teal'c, who playfully swotted his hand away and quickly shoved the sugary confection into his mouth. Jack silently protested by mouthing 'no fair' before returning his attention to Daniel. "So how did this...contraption…end up on PSX-whatever..?"

"As we know, Nut fell madly in love with Geb, the god of Earth. They likely met through Ra, who was Geb's grandfather. By all accounts, they were inseparable. When Nut vocalised her plans to have Geb's children, Ra feared their offspring would eventually overthrow him. He managed to rally some support from the System Lords and together they banished Nut from Earth - effectively separating her from Geb in the process," he continued, "Just before the eviction was scheduled to take place, Ra had an empathic moment and allowed Nut to take some of her follower's with her. Ra also talked the System Lord's into letting Nut take the device. He managed to convince them she'd never make it work. Nut really worked the system, so to speak." He paced across the floor. "She handpicked the smartest and the brightest of her followers to join her in exile - including those who'd been studying the manual. When they arrived on the planet, the temple was erected to house both Nut and the device. Nut was determined to get the machine working. She believed it could be used to exact her revenge on Ra and the other System Lord's. She worked her people mercilessly for years trying to make it work. Eventually, she gave up and went to plan B."

"What exactly was plan B, Dr Jackson?" General Hammond shifted in his seat.

"Let me guess…" Jack thoughtfully stroked his chiseled jaw, "She lied."

"Yep," Daniel emphasized with a pop, "She told the System Lord's she had a great and powerful machine capable of wiping out entire planets."

"How long did this charade last?" Jack asked.

"A while. It went on long enough for her to rise in the ranks and become a minor System Lord herself."

"I guess you've got to give her credit for using her Gooldy wiles," Jack remarked.

"I would hardly characterise her actions as honourable, O'Neill. Nut was indeed a parasite that enslaved many expatriates of Earth for her own selfish gain."

"Of course, Teal'c's right," Daniel resumed, "As with all dishonest schemes, Nut's came to a grinding halt when the System Lords called her bluff. Ra and some of the other System Lords decided that Nut needed to be permanently…"

"Rubbed out?" interrupted Jack.

"Exactly. They planned to confront Nut on her planet and execute her on site, but things got a bit complicated. They came to the planet via ship in an effort to surprise Nut, but they had an unexpected stoy away on board."

"Lover boy, Geb?" ventured Jack.

Daniel nodded in agreement. "Geb still harboured some pretty strong feelings for Nut and caught wind of the System Lord's plans before they embarked. Even though he was in exile himself, he still had a few empathises within the Goa'uld. Evidently, he tried to stop the execution but wound up getting killed himself. To punish both of them for their treachery, Geb was made to watch Nut's assassination. His symbiote was then extracted and preserved in a canopic jar so he could dwell on the death of his true love for all eternity. Legend has it, Ra kept the jar as a momento."

"This is sounding like a Goa'uld soap opera," Jack quipped, "'The Days of our Egomaniacal Lives.'"

"'The Bold and the Overdressed?'" Sam offered.

Jack pointed at Sam and sneered in appreciation. "Good one, Major."

"Any idea what happened to the first edition of the book, Dr Jackson?" General Hammond asked.

"Actually, yes. I believe it was destroyed by the System Lords when Nut and Geb met their untimely end. The thing is, General, they left something behind."

"How do you figure?"

"You see, there were some glyphs in the temple's foyer that I was having a hard time translating. Then, it hit me - what if they're not hieroglyphs at all, but some kind of mathematical formula. I found some similarities between the symbols in the foyer and some unidentified symbols from 'The Book of Nut' extracts on Earth. I think Nut's worshippers were trying to replicate the calculations left behind by the Ancients and apply them to PSX-256 in an attempt to get the machine working. I believe the balls act like a key to unlock the device. I think they represent four out of the five platonic solids - Earth, air, water and fire. However, all five are required to make the machine work and there was one - very important one - missing from Nut's collection."

"You mentioned seeing these 'solids' before?" Jack enquired absentmindedly, as he poured himself a glass of water.

"Yes. Actually, quite a few of them have been uncovered here on Earth. Nobody has been able to figure out what they do. When I opened the box, I could tell which shape was missing from the collection." Daniel reached into this pocket and produced a small, concrete object with 20 sides. He rolled it between his fingers. "This is one of the items gifted to me by Catherine Langford. She procured it during a dig. The shape is called a icosahedron."

Sensing further explanation was required, Sam interposed, "The platonic solids are basically a unique set of three-dimensional shapes. They were named after Plato, who studied and wrote about them. He summarised that the fifth shape - the icosahedron - represented 'the god used for rearranging the heavens.'"

"Are you sure this shape is the missing piece to the puzzle, Daniel?" Jack threw Daniel a look of skepticism before fishing out an invisible particle from his water glass.

"Put them together," Daniel instructed.

He slid the box across the table to Jack and wordlessly threw him the icosahedron.

Jack opened the box and brought the icosahedron into contact with the other solids. The balls began to omit a glow and a low frequency hum.

"I've studied the interaction between these objects and the EM field they generate increases tenfold when the icosahedron is brought into contact with the other solids," added Sam.

"Is it dangerous?" General Hammond asked.

"No, Sir. However, in the context of Daniel's findings I have a few theories on what the machine was used for."

Jack squared off his shoulders and his face lit-up with enthusiasm. "Don't tell me it's actually a big honking space gun?"

"Well...probably as close as you're going to get, Sir."

Jack's posture slackened with disappointment and Sam couldn't suppress the amused smile from her face.

"I've studied the Ancient equations from the abridged 'Book of Nut' and PSX-256 and I agree with Daniel, it's definitely a formula of some kind. The math is unlike anything I've ever seen before, but I think I understand the basics. I believe Nut's worshippers were partially correct in assuming the manual was used to track the movements of the stars, sun, moon and planets. I actually think it was a lot more sophisticated than that. I think the Ancients were studying the stars, sun, moon and planets in an effort to better understand planetary drift. I think the device was created to compensate for this movement." All eyes fell on Sam. "As we know, the expanding universe model basically says that, ever since the Big Bang, the universe has continued to expand. Galaxies, stars, and other objects are all moving away from each other. I think the device was used by the Ancients to relocate neighbouring planets back to their original positions so the Stargate addresses would work."

General Hammond raised the hand that had been pensively resting over his mouth. "Doesn't the DHD do this automatically through correlative updates, Major Carter?"

"It does now. I think the machine predates that," she replied.

"So, it was a precursor to the technology that would eventually be installed into the DHD's?" General Hammond questioned.

"...it would make sense. The Ancients were intelligent, but it stands to reason they also learned through trial and error."

"Why haven't we encountered any of these machines before?" asked Jack.

"I think there were similar devices out there at some stage. It would make sense that all gated planets had one. The machines would only be able to re-calibrate the planets visible from each of their respective atmospheres. The Ancients probably destroyed them once they'd licked the technology. Any future planets they discovered would have no need for the device. They may have kept the one on Earth as an insurance policy, just in case the DHD programming failed."

"After the machines were destroyed, the Ancients must have returned to Earth and left behind a few of the platonic solids." added Daniel.

"Kinda like spare keys?" suggested Jack.

"In a manner of speaking," she replied.

"Do you know how it works, Major Carter?" enquired General Hammond.

"Without analysing the device, I can only speculate - but I think the image etched onto the box may offer up some clues."

With a click of the remote, Daniel changed the slide on the projector to display a close-up of the drawing.

"As I've already deduced, the image depicts a slingshot maneuver. As we know, a slingshot maneuver uses a gravitational field to increase the speed of an object. I think the machine must generate some kind of beam that encircles a planet numerous times and gently nudges it back to its original position. It would need to be executed with extreme precision to avoid any detrimental effects to the planet in question. If the procedure was performed without the proper calculations, it could adversely affect the ocean's tides. This would likely result in chaotic seasonal changes, storms, tsunamis and even change the length of a day."

For a split second, a calmness came over the former First Prime's face. "We can take comfort in knowing the machine has been nullified by the technology within the DHD's."

"Not exactly, Teal'c. If I could study the device, I believe it may have other applications. It's entirely possible it's still on PSX-256. The Goa'uld knew it wasn't operational, so they may have left it in tact."

"You're suggesting we find and activate this device, Major?" The General's tone portrayed his uncertainty.

"Not at first, Sir. The machine would need to be located, dismantled and returned to Earth first. It's only calibrated for Earth, so it wouldn't work on PSX-256. I think the technology has the potential to solve global warming."

Just when Jack thought he'd developed an immunity to Sam's harebrained schemes, this one sucked the air from his lungs. It seemed too implausible. That said, she'd proved him wrong in the past. Numerous times. "Oooo...that's ambitious, Major - even for you."

"Think about it, Sirs. It's not without precedence. In the 1970's, scientists devised a plan to save the Earth from global warming by 'tugging' it away from the sun. They intended to use a rocket-powered satellite to collect a giant asteroid and fling it around the planet. The asteroid would pass by Earth, then circle around Jupiter or Saturn before making a return journey. The momentum of the asteroid would cause the Earth to change position and, over time, move it away from the sun and out of danger. The asteroid required would have been around three-and-a-half thousand kilometers squared - roughly 7 times the size of Colorado Springs. The maneuver would also need to be performed thousands, if not millions of times to achieve the right distance between the sun and Earth. The plan was abandoned because it was far beyond the reaches of modern science at the time. This device might be the answer. I think we should concentrate our efforts on finding it."

Jack could hear the muffled sounds of the gate technicians as the occupants of the room meditated on Sam's words.

Teal'c broke the silence first. "If this technology fell into the wrong hands, could it not be abused and used to wipe out an entire planet?"

His statement was both blunt and astute.

Jack felt the familiar build-up of adrenaline in his veins...or was it dread? "I didn't even think of that..! General, I say we find this device and blow it to hell!"

"Not so fast, Colonel..!" Exclaimed a disembodied voice.

The doorway darkened and the outline of an eerie figure stretched across the table top. The black ghost consumed more of the polished surface as the intruder edged forward. Jack could almost hear the imperial march.

"Kinsey…"


	4. Chapter 4

A hush settled over the conference room as the politician and officer sized each other up.

Kinsey glided further into the room, flanked on either side by his steely goons. Kinsey himself looked stern and full of purpose - from his immaculate suit to the way he carried himself. Even the position of the lines around his narrowed eyes seemed deliberately placed.

A casual observer would have classed Jack's appearance as blase, even sloppy. The collar of his shirt was slightly askew, and more than a few strands of silver hair were out of place. His facial features appeared relaxed - marred only by the occasional sliding of his jar as he gently gnawed at the inside of his cheek - but it was all a ploy. Jack was banking on the Senator underestimating him. It was his favourite offensive maneuver - a wild card he played so often the corner's were practically dog-eared.

Jack's ability to evaluate an opponent extended beyond the battlefield, and he could read Kinsey like a book. The man's weakness wasn't physical, it was egocentric - and Jack knew how to upset his equilibrium. He was going to use Kinsey's false perception of him to leverage an advantage. It was always a fascinating play to watch - an eloquent dance of quips and put-downs that his teammates had come to enjoy.

Jack's eyebrows twerked as he studied the Senator. Those who knew him best knew he was delving into his archive of clever insults. It was game on.

"Kinsey, what brings you to the Centennial State on this fine morning?"

The Senator's expression soured and Jack took a moment to basque in the politician's discomfort.

"If you're looking for a restaurant recommendation while you're in town, I'd suggest O'Malley's on Highway 105. Best steak in town." Jack interlaced his fingers behind his head. "You look like the kind of man who'd enjoy masticating on a huge…"

"Colonel!" The General barked.

Kinsey's lips pursed together in disdain as he lowered himself onto a chair. He rested his forearms on the wooden surface and clasped his hands together.

"I'm here because a very interesting preliminary report crossed my desk last night…" he began.

"You were working last night, Senator? You clearly need to get out more. Seriously, O'Malley's."

The Senator straightened his entangled fingers, before enclosing them in an even tighter grip.

"Colonel, I'm growing tired of your immaturity."

Jack watched as the politician's knuckles turned white. The older man's unblemished office hands offered a stark contrast to Jack's own. His soft fingers suggested he'd never held a weapon with any kind of regularity. Jack wondered if he knew what it felt like to pull the trigger and deliberately take a life. Jack's own hands were speckled with callouses and scars. Each of them offered a testament to the harsh nature of his job.

"Daniel, would you call me immature?"

Daniel's eyes darted between the Senator and Jack like the spectator of a tennis match. "Not to your face."

A coral hue crept across Kinsey's cheeks, suggesting that blood flow had redirected from his knuckles to his face.

"Enough!" He spat, "General, please control your team."

"I assure you, Senator - if there was any impropriety being displayed here, I'd have something to say. Now, to what do we owe this...unexpected visit?"

"As you know, General I'm planning on running for president next year. It's my intention to take a strong stance against global warming." His stormy gaze shifted to Jack. "Imagine if I'd achieved one of my campaign promises before I reached the White House..." He let his words hang in the air.

Jack felt his temperature rise as Kinsey's words began to unspool in his brain. He had to give the Senator credit. For a civilian, he had a firm grasp on military tactics. He was beginning to think he'd misjudged the presidential candidate. It seemed Kinsey was also a student of the O'Neill school of intellectual misdirection. Jack worked harder on neutralising his facial features, but a flash of anger escaped before he'd gained control. It didn't go unnoticed by Kinsey, who pounced like a jaguar.

"That's right, Jack," continued Kinsey, " I'm going to make it to the White House, and you're going to help me get there!" He roughly jabbed a finger towards the Colonel.

Jack's fingers wrapped around a pen and he began to rhythmically strum against an unused notepad in an attempt to displace his hositilites.

"With all due respect, Sir," interrupted Sam, "Time is not on our side. It's going to take a lot of man hours and money to safely study the device - that's assuming we don't encounter any issues during the dismantling and transporting process. I wouldn't feel comfortable cutting any corners to meet the deadline of your election campaign. On top of which, we have no idea what this technology is capable of. If we don't do our due diligence and study the machine correctly, improper use could be detrimental."

She squared a doe-eyed expression at Kinsey. Jack knew she was reliving the Bauer incident. Her wide, worried eyes gave her an innocent, anime look. He wasn't sure if it was deliberate, or out of self-preservation. He felt his chivalrous side reboot and he opened his mouth to defend her against the big, scary Senator. Before he could utter a word, her appearance shifted.

"If we use the device without studying it properly, you won't have any supporters left to vote you into office."

She didn't need Jack to defend her honour.

Kinsey's gaze constricted to the width of toothpicks and he squirmed in his seat.

"Major, you're starting to sound like Colonel O'Neill." He spat out Jack's surname as if it tasted like vinegar. "It's very unbecoming of an officer, and especially a lady."

Jack would have beamed with pride if he hadn't been so angry.

"Major Carter, the planet is dying and without our immediate intervention, we're all doomed! Anyway, you said yourself - you have a basic understanding of the maths. We have the utmost faith in your abilities to master this piece of technology. You'll have everything you'll need at your disposal. We believe the risk is minimal."

Sam's mouth opened and closed as she tried to compile a response. Kinsey misinterpreted her silence and seething glare as placid compliance.

"Don't worry, Major we'll let you practise on an uninhabited world."

Jack stabbed at the notepad with impressive force. "You son-of-a…!" He stopped himself mid-curse, "I don't want to risk the lives of my team and everybody on Earth so you can be known as...Captain Planet! I vote we blow this thing to hell!"

Kinsey shook his head and exhaled. "Your lack of vision is very tiring, Colonel. You'd be wise to follow my orders."

Jack tossed the pen to one side. "I don't need to do squat, Kinsey."

"Be well advised, Jack I could make your life very unpleasant - I'll make the untimely death of your only child look like the high point of your miserable existence."

Jack pushed off his chair and violently slammed his fists against the table. "How dare you..!"

Recognising the darkness clouding over Jack's pupils, Daniel laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Jack," Daniel calmly whispered. "maybe you should sit down."

"No, Daniel! This jackass has crossed the line!"

Daniel raised his eyebrows at Sam, begging her to intervene with a pleading glare.

Sam looked sternly at Jack,"Sir, please?"

He felt his anger slowly dissipate as the calming blue of her eyes washed over him. He slowly lowered himself back into his chair.

Kinsey cleared his throat. "Please don't underestimate my influence, Colonel. When I make the Stargate program public, 'Jack O'Neill' will be a household name. The way I see it, I could make you a public hero for saving the planet, or a public disgrace for turning your back on it. You better believe it, son. When I'm through with you, you'll need your Asgard friends to find you a new home - off-world!" Kinsey stood from his seat and turned to face the door.

A smirk pulled at the corner of Jack's lips. "That's 'O'Neill' with two l's," he yelled, throwing up three fingers, "and don't forget your gift bag on the way out!"

Kinsey's back visibly stiffened with Jack's smug retort.

They all watched as Kinsey made his exit. One of his men remained behind and crossed the room to Hammond, handing him a piece of paper. As he too departed, the collective heads of SG-1 turned to face the General.

"General..?" Jack began.

The General looked up from the official article.

"Unfortunately Jack, the Senator has some very powerful friends. He's even convinced the current President that this course of action will be mutually beneficial. SG-1 will return to PSX-256 to procure the device so it can be studied and used here on Earth."

"Sir, permission to strongly oppose this mission..!"

"Your objection has been noted, Colonel - but I'm afraid I have to insist. Consider this an order from above."

* * *

She'd essentially shut down all of her non-essential systems. She'd muted her conscious mind and dulled her auditory senses so she could transfer all of her brain power into processing the possibilities. Her mind was working overtime converting all of the data into information, and the information into a plan of action.

Her teammates were still reeling from their encounter with Kinsey. Daniel was animatedly discussing the situation with Teal'c, and General Hammond had absconded to his office to use his red phone.

Although Jack was standing with Daniel and Teal'c, his brown eyes were carefully watching Sam through half-mast lids. He'd noticed when she'd faded out. He was concerned - and his worry went far beyond that of a Colonel for his second in command. He took a step back from the group to stand behind her.

"Carter, I can practically hear the cogs turning in that genius brain of yours."

When she didn't acknowledge him, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and bent to ear level.

"Carter!" He whispered loudly, directly into her canal.

The warmth of his breath spread from her cochlear and into her circulatory system. She shook the fuzz from her brain and turned to meet her CO's concerned glare.

"You okay, Carter?" He regarded her carefully, studying every inch of her face as if it were an abstract painting.

"Sir?"

He motioned a finger to her head. "Those neurons are firing so hard that smoke is coming out of your ears."

"Sorry, Sir."

"Carter," he placed an arm under her elbow and pulled her into the corner of the room, "You know you don't have to do this."

Her blue eyes disappeared behind her long lashes as she carefully considered his words.

"I appreciate the support, Sir - but we both know that'd be career suicide. I'd wind-up cleaning toilets in a backwater base somewhere." She offered him a tremulous smile.

"I doubt that, Major," he cast a cautious eye around the room before lowering his voice, "You're Sam Carter - national treasure and what's he? - a politician. There's a million of him in every state and city, but there's only one you."

She cast her eyelids to the carpet. A golden curtain of hair cascaded over her brow as she toyed with the seam of her pocket. He caught a glimpse of a single dimple as her mouth succumbed to a bashful smile.

"Umm...I don't know what to say, Sir…"

"Carter, I'm not going to order you either way. If you want to ditch this mission, we'll tell Kinsey to shove it up his…" he wrapped his left hand around his right forefinger to accentuate his meaning.

"Mitka, Sir?" She offered.

"Exactly," he threw his hands down palm up, "If you want to get your hands dirty with this new doohickey, I've got your six. K?"

Her gaze softened with gratitude and her lips curled slightly.

"Thanks, Sir - really. It means a lot."

He motioned her appreciation away with the wave of his hand.

"Always, Carter."


	5. Chapter 5

**FYI, I was reading about 'grima' today and decided to incorporate it into my story. It's a Spanish word used by the scientific community to describe the uncomfortable feeling you get when you hear fingernails on a chalkboard. It makes me shudder just thinking about it!**

 **If you like what you read, please subscribe to this story and don't forget to leave a review! Yours in eternal shippiness, Freya x**

A wall of heat hit Jack the moment his boots connected with the alien soil. Normally his body would have craved the warmth after the hawkish journey through the event horizon - but today, the temperature did nothing to zap the chill in his bones left by Kinsey. He hated that Kinsey was placing so much pressure on Carter. Her job was difficult enough without factoring in any additional outside influences. All he wanted to do was take her away from this, but he suspected she wouldn't appreciate him fighting her battles. He vowed to keep his distance - for the most part.

He took a few hesitant steps forward and waited for his team to disembark from the Stargate. They each stepped through the event horizon with a liquid floop. Jack brought a cupped hand to his mouth to muffle the sound of his voice.

"Ahh...welcome to PSX-256, this is your Colonel speaking. We're cruising at an altitude of several million light-years from Earth and we're expecting a balmy top of 100 degrees fahrenheit. Please keep your seatbelts fastened until your matter has fully reintegrated on this side of the event horizon…" He made a sweeping motion across the desolate landscape, then brought the Bolle's to his eyes.

An irritated sigh erupted from Daniel mouth as he deftly fastened the ends of the bandana behind his head. "Jack, are you done?"

Jack glanced over to Sam. She was adjusting the straps on the MALP that held her sensitive scientific equipment. She expelled a micro-giggle, but the mirth didn't quite reach her eyes. There were dark circles staining the delicate skin beneath her bottom lids. She looked tired and stressed. Jack had fought the overwhelming urge to embrace her and settled for comic relief instead.

"For crying out loud Daniel, I'm just trying to lighten the mood..!"

Daniel raised a quizzical brow, wordlessly repeating his question.

Jack shrugged as he bent the beak of his cap, "It's hard to tell."

"Hmm," Daniel acknowledged with a murmur, "I'm going to check-in with Airman Lang. Teal'c, I might need your help." His eyes drifted to Sam, then returned, "Will you be alright here?"

"Yeah...we'll manage."

Daniel gave a half shrug as he turned on his heels and headed towards the temple, followed closely by Teal'c.

Jack waited for the sound of their footsteps to dissipate before facing his second in command. "Carter, are you still okay with all of this? It's not too late to back out."

"Yes, Sir." She jabbed at the MALPs remote and the machine jolted forward.

Her features were uncharacteristically stoney and she was doing her level best to avoid his gaze.

His brows rose above his sunglasses,"...Carter?" His voice came out more unsteady than he'd anticipated.

"I'm fine, Sir." She concentrated on the MALP as it surged ahead of her, making light of the rugged terrain.

He shifted his weight onto one leg, "Pinky swear?"

"Yes, Sir. I just want to get this over with."

"Me too, Carter. Me too. Do you really think there's something...you know, out there?" He nodded in the direction of the temple.

"Yes, Sir...but I really hope I'm wrong."

"Nothing would please me more, Carter," he gave her an uneasy smile, "Look, Carter I don't want you to feel pressured here. I know that you can't rush science. Try not to concern yourself with Kinsey's agenda."

"I'll try to remember that, Sir."

"Good…" he felt his left eye quiver behind his lenses as he drank her in again, "Right, Major - off to work!"

"Daniel, have you made any progress yet?" Jack sidled-up to the archeologist. An opened notepad rested in the crook of Daniel's left arm and he was holding a brush to the wall with his right.

"No, Jack. Not really," his left arm dropped to his side and he faced his friend, "Of course, I'd probably move a lot faster if you quit bugging me."

"Geez, sorry Spacemonkey."

Daniel gnawed at his bottom lip, "I'm going to see how Sam's doing with the ground penetrating radar." He stepped around his leader, "I know it's not your forte, Jack - but you'll have to be patient. It's going to take some time to carefully examine the site…"

As the words tumbled from his lips, Daniel lost his footing and landed on his coccyx - dislodging the spectacles from his face in the process. He frantically patted the ground around him in search of them, until he suddenly froze.

"Ah, Jack..?"

Jack stood over Daniel and they jointly stared down the misshapen crevice he'd unintentionally exposed.

"Of course, it's possible to stumble across these things accidentally," Jack stated matter-of-factly. He brought the radio to his mouth, "Carter, Teal'c, Lang, please report to the entrance."

Moments later, the trio trickled into the room.

"Daniel, are you okay?" Sam questioned, making a beeline for her fallen teammate. She placed a hand on his shoulder and began scanning him for obvious injuries.

"Are you injured, Daniel Jackson?"

Daniel shook his head. "No, Teal'c I'm fine."

"Daniel literally stumbled onto something," said Jack.

Sam turned her attention away from Daniel and pawed at the anomaly in the ground. "This divot is a very unusual shape."

"What do you suppose it is, Major Carter?" asked Teal'c.

Airman Lang hesitantly raised his hand. "Sir, if I'm not mistaken I think the hole was specifically designed to house one of the platonic solids."

Jack looked to Sam for clarification. "If the balls we found are a key to unlock the device, Daniel just discovered our first key hole."

"Ah, right! Well, let's check out the rest of this joint."

Daniel rose to his feet and joined the others in the search. They fanned out to cover a different corner of the room.

"I've got one!" exclaimed Airman Lang.

"Me too!" Echoed Daniel.

"I too have located one," added Teal'c.

They each turned to Jack.

"Sir..?"

Jack shuffled a few feet over from where he stood. He scuffed the toe of his shoe across the ground until the fifth cleft revealed itself.

"Guess what kids…!" He said, with feigned excitement.

Sam worried at her lower lip. "Sir, with your permission I'd like to see what happens when we place the keys in the holes."

"Do you think that's wise, Major?"

"I'll intermittently monitor the energy build-up from the computer, Sir. If it gets to a critical level, we'll abort."

Jack ran his tongue across the back of his teeth. "All right, Major. You're the expert."

Sam fetched the lined suitcase that housed the five stones and distributed them amongst her team.

"I think we should leave the icosahedron for last," she said, putting the container down.

"Why?" Jack questioned.

"Well Sir, based on the effect the icosahedron had on the other solids, I think it acts like a master key. The other four keys should unlock the device, but the icosahedron is responsible for making the machine work."

A few minutes later, Jack, Teal'c, Daniel and Airman Lang were each poised over a different crater with their corresponding stones.

"Okay…" began Sam, "On my command, insert the stones. Ready…? Now!"

A grima-eliciting scrape, followed by an audible clunk, punctured the silence of the temple as the solids descended into their respective cavities and locked into place. Particles of dust and rubble flakes peppered the floor as the ground and walls began to quiver.

"Everybody move to the edge of the room!" Jack ordered.

Sam stubbled backwards until she was flush against the stone wall.

"Carter?!" Jack yelled over the deafening rumble.

"I don't know, Sir!" she screamed in reply.

The levels on Sam's computer pulsed and surged as the machine shimmied in sync with the vibrations of the floor. She squinted to sharpen her vision.

"The levels haven't reached critical yet, Sir."

The noise in the room slowly subsided, leaving the five members of Stargate Command to wonder if the show was over.

Jack experimentally pushed at one of the pillars to check it was still structurally sound, before taking inventory of his team.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," he said.

A low rumble that sounded like an empty stomach began to emanate from the earth.

"Looks like I spoke too soon," he added, "Brace yourselves, kids!"

The noise grew exponentially louder, like a freight train tunneling its way to the surface from the fiery depths of hell. Cracks started to form in the middle of the room, radiating outwards from a central point then rounding off to form a large circle.

"Carter?! Shouldn't we be getting the hell outta here?!" Jack bellowed.

"I think it'll be okay, Sir!" she hollered, "The cracks look too uniform. I think it's revealing some kind of trap door!"

The segments in the stone floor steadily retracted to expose a bottomless hollow. Daniel creeped towards the perimeter and curiously glared into the abyss.

"Daniel! Get away from there!" Jack ordered. The crease above his nose deepened as his face contorted with a mixture of alarm, anger and apprehension.

"Jack, it's fine." Daniel crouched down and unfastened the torch from his belt. He shone it down the burrow and slowly traced the yellow light across the void. When it crossed the base, the light refracted off a large metallic object.

"There's something down there."

Sam could feel the fibres of the rope press into her hands and thigh as she slowly repelled into the cavity.

"Carter, how's it going?"

She lifted her head to the heavens. The light from her miner's helmet illuminated Jack's face as he lent into the opening. He used a hand to shield his eyes from the brightness.

"I'm almost there, Sir," she shouted.

He nodded in response, his right eye closing from the glare.

She pushed herself off the wall one last time before jumping onto the platform with both feet. In the middle of the podium stood a slender, pedestal-shaped device with a square control panel, not dissimilar to a computer keyboard. The hieroglyphics were arranged horizontally and there was a large red button embedded into the right-hand side.

"Carter?" Jack's voice echoed through the shaft and amplified his impatient timbre.

She looked skyward to see the four faces of her colleagues peering down at her.

"It looks like a DHD, Sir...for the most part."

"...okay...but why is it underground?"

Sam gave the device a cursory once-over. "My guess is the platform ran out of power. I think it's supposed to rise to the surface, but the hydraulics have failed. It is very old, Sir."

"Can you fix it?"

She un-clipped her backpack and shrugged it off her shoulders. "I'll try my best, Sir." She placed her pack on the ground and used a pocket knife to pry open the control panel on the platform.

After she made a few adjustments, she slammed the hatchway shut and passed the back of her hand across her brow. She ran a wary eye over the device. It appeared so vulnerable in its dormant state. She wondered what it would take to destroy it completely. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she contemplated the consequences. Although she agreed with the project in principle, she didn't appreciate being strong-armed by a politician - especially within the scientific discipline. That was _her_ field of expertise. She expelled a sigh from the corner of her mouth and the updraught caught the edge of her fridge.

"Okay, Sir I think it's ready," she said, "Stand-by."

She spliced the final two pieces of wire together and the platform jerked to life. Sam steadied her stance and surfed the podium to the surface. The dias clunked into place and she stepped off.

Jack extended an arm to pat her on the shoulder, but retracted it at the last second. He gave her a nod of appreciation instead. "Nice entrance, Carter."

Her mouth twitched. "Thanks, Sir." She removed the helmet from her head and ran a hand through her hair.

Jack and Teal'c stood off to the side as the three resident scientists inspected their new acquisition.

Daniel smoothed a hand over the cold, metal shell. "There doesn't appear to be any hidden inscriptions. Hopefully the hieroglyphics on the walls will give us a bit more information."

Airman Lang stood dumbfounded at the controls, exploring the curves and indentations of the gate symbols with the tips of his fingers. "It really does look like a DHD."

"I don't think that's a coincidence," supplied Daniel, "We've come across a few ancient devices in the past that share a similar design. I mean, why reinvent the wheel?"

Sam's teeth gritted together with a mixture of frustration and exertion as she worked on releasing the door to the device's master control crystals. The compartment finally relented, sliding open to reveal a kaleidoscope of stacked crystals.

"You know, if it wasn't for Daniel's fumble I wouldn't have thought to check the foyer for the device," Sam said, removing a blue panel and raising it to the light, "Why do you think Nut put it in such an obvious location?"

Jack's head cocked to one side in retrospect. "Yeah..! We usually have to jump through hoops to find the goodies - mazes, challenges, puzzles, feats of strength…" he counted out on his fingers.

Teal'c looked on wistfully. "Perhaps it was Nut's wish to intimidate her guests upon arrival?"

"She should have just got a dog," Jack muttered. He pulled the sleeve back on his uniform to check the time. "As fun as this is, I'm scheduled for a check-in with General Hammond. T, you can come with me. Daniel, Lang, continue with the translations in the foyer. Carter, see what you can uncover," he grimaced, "...just try not to turn it on."

Sam peeped out from behind the device to address her CO. "Yes, Sir."

Jack rested his left foot against a stack of Daniel's books and unknotted the shoelace on his boot.

"So, Jack…" Daniel asked. His eyes momentarily lifted from his notepad.

"Daniel…" Jack mirrored, straightening out the cord and looping it around on itself.

"I was wondering if you're seeing anybody at the moment?"

"Ummm…" a film of anxiety wrapped around Jack's uvula and he struggled to swallow it down. His eyes flicked to Sam.

Unlike Teal'c, Daniel seemed almost oblivious to the inapplicable chemistry between the two military officers. Jack found Daniel's bewilderment astonishing, considering his physical attraction to Sam had morphed into a living and breathing entity - like an unspoken fifth member of SG-1.

He couldn't define his relationship with Sam, but he'd let it define him as a person. Loyalty to Sam aside, their circumstances dictated what they were - essentially single and unattached.

"Not really, I guess. Why?"

"I know it's been a while since you...you know…" Daniel made a string of invisible circles with his hand.

Jack rocked from one foot to the other, "What, Daniel? Ate cookies?"

"No."

"Descaled a fish?"

Daniel's face puckered with annoyance. "No! Come on, Jack. When was the last time you went on a date?"

Jack looked thoughtfully into the air. "I can't remember exactly. I think the Ford Pinto was still in production..?"

"Yeah. That's what I thought. Jack, you need to get back on the saddle...so to speak."

"I don't know, Daniel…"

"Come on, Jack. She's my neighbour and I think you'd really get along. Just meet her for a drink or something. It's only a few hours out of your life. I think it'll be good for you "

"Hmmm... maybe," Jack brought up a hand to put a halt to the conversation, "I'll think about it."

From across the room, Sam retracted her shaking hands from the belly of the device. She felt like the stone walls were closing in on her like a trash compactor. The late afternoon sun was casting deep, dark puddles around her and she wanted to drown in their blackness.

She needed to get out of there.

Sam sat cross-legged on the ground. Her elbows dug into the side of her knees as she absentmindedly rolled a stone between her thumb and forefinger. She heard a twig snap underfoot behind her and rotated to face the noise.

"Evening, Carter."

"Oh...hi, Sir." She turned her attention back to the rock.

"Whatcha doin?" Jack slumped down beside her, nudging her playfully with his broad shoulder.

"Just thinking, Sir."

"You know, Carter you should take a night off once in awhile."

She smirked slightly and shrugged.

"...care to share?"

He could see her carefully contemplating his request before answering.

"Sir, do you ever think...our time will come?"

"...our time? Do you mean SG1's?"

"No, Sir. I mean us...as in you and me."

"Ah."

Ever since the Za'tarc incident, Jack had anticipated this conversation. Although he'd run through the play a thousand times in his head, he still wasn't prepared.

"...our time?" He repeated, trying to gain some footing on the subject.

Sam knew he was buying time. She could sense him searching for a joke or whimsical comeback to dilute the impending heavy conversation before they waded in too deep.

"Jack," She whispered.

The use of his given name brought his gaze upwards to meet hers. The dim moonlight did little to soften the look of determination on her face.

"I know this...thing between us is complicated," she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I know our current situation prevents us from acting on...our feelings and…"

"Carter…" He interrupted, his long eyelashes beating hard against his lower lids.

"Please let me finish," she begged, "I need to get this out before I lose my nerve."

He ran a hand through his cropped hair and exhaled.

Interpreting his actions as silent permission, she continued. "I want you to know, that regardless of how long this war takes, I'm willing to wait...for you," She clarified."I can't imagine...that is to say, I don't want to be...with anyone else."

"Look...Sam…"

Her head suddenly felt heavy and she let her chin drop to her chest.

His heart sank as he watched her succumb to disappointment. She looked grief stricken, as if in mourning for the relationship they couldn't have.

He reached for her with unsteady hands and gently pulled her face towards him.

Her tear ducts begin to tingle and she fought the urge to cry.

"Sam," He repeated, running his thumb over her cheek, "Please look at me."

She slowly lifted her lids and found Jack studying her with a worried expression. She blinked twice to clear her cloudy vision. A single tear dislodged from her left eye and journeyed down her cheek, disappearing behind the crevice her skin and Jack's fingertip created.

"You know," he preceded carefully, "if it wasn't for those egomaniacal, over-dressed, technology-stealing, world-conquering windbags, we'd be shacked up in the suburbs with our 2.5 kids, living the good life...but until the Go'auld threat is eliminated, I can't make you any commitments."

She whimpered softly.

"Sam, I've only loved two women in my adult life - one of them was Sara."

Sam's eyes widened as she absorbed his meaning.

"I can't promise the war will end tomorrow. I can't promise there won't be another race of bad guys waiting to take the Go'auld's place. What I can promise is the moment this is all over, I'm going to be on you so quickly your genius brain won't be able to process it."

She choked out a laugh and wiped her glistening cheeks with the back of her hand.

"We'll get our happy ending, but right now the world - hell, the galaxy, needs us."

Jack started to pull at the braided leather band secured tightly around his wrist. He swore under his breath as he attempted to loosen the knot, before bringing it to his mouth. He gnawed the bracelet free and grabbed Sam's left wrist.

"It's not exactly a diamond, but I want you to have this. Think of it as a promise of...more."

He tied the leather to her hand with nimble fingers.

"I don't know what to say." She blabbered. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He winked.

She felt the material between her thumb and forefinger and experimentally rotated it around her flesh.

"C'mon here." He threw his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him, rubbing her arm with his open palm.

She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. His thin lips pressed a gentle kiss to her crown.


	6. Chapter 6

**A HUGE thank you to those who've supported this story thus far! My apologies for the lengthy delay - writer's block has been a real bitch! I thought the plot needed a shake-up, so this chapter is a flash-forward! As always, feedback is welcome. Freya x**

* * *

 _She cupped his near lifeless face in her dirt-stained hands._

" _Don't you dare die on me, Sir!" she hissed through clenched teeth, "We've come too far for you to give up now!"_

 _His eyelids fluttered open to reveal a sliver of deep brown pupil against a bloodshot background._

 _He could feel the life draining from his battle-worn body, but he rallied all his remaining strength and forced his eyes to focus on hers._

 _He'd spent years studying every expression on her face and he thought he'd seen them all - but there was something missing from her eyes. He'd been in near-death experiences before - and there was always a glimmer in Carter's pupils, a shimmer of hope that he'd survive. That light had gone. In that moment, he knew he had met his end. Her familiar sapphire gaze now appeared overcast - clouded by feelings of regret for a love unexplored._

 _His dry, pale lips fell open and he expelled a raspy whisper, "Sam..."_

 _Salty discharge began to collect in Sam's left tear duct. She blinked hard and let it stream unashamedly down her cheek. The water began its journey down her soft, delicate cheekbones but was suddenly stopped in its path by the gentle, yet calloused touch of her superior officer._

 _The thumb on his quaking left hand brushed the moisture aside and the hand dropped, coming to rest on her braided leather bracelet._

" _I-I-I-I…:" he stuttered._

 _Sam defiantly shook her head. "Please, Sir...try not to speak. You need to conserve your energy. Help is on the way."_

" _Not…this...time...Sam."_

" _No, Sir. Please don't say that. We need you... I need you," she whispered, "Please hang on, please…" She pressed her forehead into his and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that some of her life force would seep into his frail form. She knew it wasn't feasible, but she was clinging to the idea like a life preserver._

 _His breath was coming out in short, shallow gasps. His hand dropped from her wrist and hit the cold, hard floor._

" _Jack..?" She buried her dirt-tinged fingertips into his neck. She could feel his pulse pushing back - but it was fading fast._

 _In the distance, the twin suns were commencing their daily descent. The sky was stained in a palette of muted pinks and oranges and the distant mountains were scaring the landscape like a two-dimensional tattoo. A light breeze swept across the baron terrain and whistled through the great temple. It would have been refreshing - almost poetic, if it hadn't also taken Jack's last laboured breath away on its wings._

* * *

 _The front legs of his deck chair groaned as they reconnected with the wooden decking. His head jerked around stiffly as he took in his surroundings. He was at the lake. His lake. In Minnesota._

" _What the…?!"_

" _Hello camper!" Came a voice from behind him._

 _He swivelled to face it._

" _Who are you...and what the hell is going on?!"_


End file.
